Cold case playing cards to be distributed in DOC facilities statewide

Submitted News

Monday

Aug 27, 2018 at 5:15 PM

Delaware State Police, the New Castle County Police Department, the Wilmington Police Department and Crime Stoppers and the Delaware Department of Correction will sell cold case playing cards to inmates housed in level five prison facilities across the state.

The decks of cards feature details about 52 unsolved homicides, unidentified remains and missing persons. Each card also has the phone number for Crime Stoppers for inmate’s to supply information anonymously.

“All efforts to bring perpetrators of these crimes to justice are worth exploring,” said DSP Col. Nathaniel McQueen. “Citizens incarcerated in our correctional facilities may be able to provide information or investigative leads that may lead to an arrest. It is important to the families of the victims and to the community that police continue to pursue every investigative lead.”

“The DOC is a proud partner of this innovative project and we will continue to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies in order to support the victims and surviving family members,” said DOC Deputy Commissioner Alan Grinstead. “As the largest law enforcement agency in the state, we have the unique opportunity to make these cards available to a population that may have information which could lead to the resolution of cold cases.”

“Police officers are committed to investigating cases until they are solved,” said New Castle County Executive Matthew Meyer. “This is just the latest example of how our police are working collaboratively with the Department of Correction and Crime Stoppers to use the latest and most effective strategies to protect the public by bringing those who commit crime, no matter when it occurred, to justice.”

“There are many people here I want to thank, but there is a group most deserving of recognition: the families of the victims on the playing cards. We will never stop working to solve the violent crimes that took away your loved ones,” said NCCPD Col. Vaughn Bond said.

About 8,000 decks are available for purchase in DOC commissaries throughout the state. The cold case cards are available for purchase in DOC commissaries.

In addition to the cards, cold case videos are produced and are available on the NCCPD Cold Case Facebook page. The videos will also be shown on DOC’s closed circuit television station at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna and in Probation and Parole offices across the state.